HOW TO TAPER YOUR STRENGTH WORK BEFORE A RACE? (PART 2)
Ask any athlete or coach, and the recipe for their race taper will be different. And this is how it should be! We are all built differently, respond differently to training and cope with race week nerves differently, so tapering will not be the same for everyone. In fact, your own ‘perfect’ taper may have changed from what it used to be.
Read on as we share our five key rules to apply to your strength training during taper time.
LET’S GET STARTED
There are a number of different factors you should be basing your taper on: the distance and the intensity of the event you are taking part in, as well as the effort you are looking to put in, whether it’s your A, B or C race, and the overall volume and intensity of your training program leading up to now.
Make sure you’ve had a conversation with your coaches to ensure there is synergy in your taper.
You should be looking at coming into your taper at around 70-75% of your average training volume. Dial down the intensity but keep enough to maintain that level of sharpness. This applies to your run, bike or swim training as well!
THE TWO WEEK FORMULA
Within this two weeks, you should be including key areas of mobility, activation and strength exercises. Instead of weighted exercises, bring in bodyweight or band-based exercises, reducing the complexity of movements with your strength and conditioning program.
Strength training done well during this period provides you with a perfect training option to prepare for your race - activation being your primary focus. You want to reduce the load but still keep the neural activation going, and carefully-selected strength exercises will allow this without risking any unwanted stress or fatigue leading into the race. Basically, we want our legs to be fresh, but we also want them to be switched on and ready.
Long gone (we’re hoping by now) is the belief that strength work means just lifting heavy weights. When we talk about strength training, especially for endurance athletes, it incorporates so much more than this. So during a taper, although you are reducing the intensity of any load that is being used, there are still many other ways to incorporate strength training in a way that will actually enhance your performance on race day.
Having some basic equipment (such as resistance bands) is ideal for race week when you’re potentially away from familiar surroundings. This will help you get the right stimulus without over working!
FIVE RULES TO consider during your strength training taper
1) Don’t Try Anything New
Don’t mess around with the framework of your program; simply reduce the intensity, load and the complexity of the movements that you’re working with. Leave new exercises for the next training block when you have time to familiarise yourself and your body.
2) Mobility Is Key
Look to focus on your mobility and activation during your taper, alongside some light strength work. As you will be taking things easier, you want to keep your mind and body engaged, which is where resistance bands are ideal. This approach will reduce the overall load on your joints as you go into your race, ensuring your body is as fresh as possible.
3) Manage Your Intensity
Your strength sessions during this time should not produce more muscle soreness or muscle failure. Make sure you’re not pushing to failure - however, ensure you are creating enough muscle stimulation and engaging your muscles.
4) Fuel Optimally
Fuelling well during this time is all part of your race preparation. Don’t back off just because you’re doing less. Get some advice from a qualified sports nutritionist or dietician if you want to know what’s best for you.
5) Don’t Over Complicate Things
Whether it’s mobility, stretching, recovery, nutrition or new equipment, make sure you don’t bring anything new into the fold. Cupping, dry needling or just something you’ve never experienced before… you don’t know how your body will respond, and now isn’t the time to find out.
Remember, this type of preparation will give you a level of mental confidence going into your race, knowing that you’ve done everything right for you.
TAPERING AFTER THE EVENT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT
It’s very easy to jump straight back into your training, but this is when you’re most susceptible to injury, illness and setbacks. You want to make sure you are recovering on two levels:
1) Superficial soreness, followed by
2) Deeper level hormonal recovery.
So, no matter where you’re at, if you’re pushing yourself too hard, you’ve got to understand the strain it’s going to put on your body - and itwill then take even more time to recover.
If you’re looking for more hands-on guidance to tailor your training in the lead up to races, get in touch today and we can get you started.
You can also listen to the podcast below to learn about tapering in more detail: